If the world thinks Zeenat Aman is the No.1 Bollywood Hottie of all time, can Dev Anand who made her with his Hare Rama Hare Krishna in 1971 differ in opinion? No way! And the evergreen actor, busy at 86 with his new film Chargesheet, did not need to ponder over the recent poll conducted by UK's leading website for Asian news that rated Zeenie Baby top of Bollywood's 50 Sexiest Stars over the Bipashas, Kareenas, Deepikas and Katrinas of today.

“Zeenat was always a star and even now she deserves the title. Hats off to her,” said Dev saab enthusiastically. He has fond memories of how people laughed at him when he decided to cast the dusky Miss India with her anglicised Hindi accent in Hare Rama Hare Krishna. “But she was perfect for the role then and has been immortalised,” argued Dev saab who has never gone by public opinion. “People will always remember her for that role.” Indeed, they do... and Zeenat even went on to win the Filmfare Best Supporting Actress for that erotic Dum Maro Dum performance that was Bollywood's first true and full expression of sexuality.

But Dev saab, however, wanted to romance the sexy Zeenat with her beautiful face and near perfect body himself. Mumtaz was his love in Hare Rama Hare Krishna and Zeenat played his westernised hippie sister. So the filmmaker quickly made Heera Panna with her in 1973 where Zeenat, naturally, was his leading lady. They acted in many more films after that, including Ishq Ishq Ishq, Prem Shastra, Warrant, Darling Darling and Kalabaaz, before Zeenat sort of moved on. “She went to Raj Kapoor with Satyam Shivam Sundaram... she took the right decision,” said Dev saab nostalgically.

Yet, the two remain great friends, he claimed. “I know that she is there if I pick up the phone and dial her number,” he explained. In Dev saab's opinion, Zeenat hasn't quit Bollywood at all. “She is probably not getting the right kind of roles,” he said handsomely, adding, “if I have the kind of role she deserves, I will definitely cast Zeenat once again.” And not because she's still sexy, because, in Dev saab book, you cannot define sexiness. “A plain woman can be sexy with just the way she looks at you or walks,” he said. “A girl's bashfulness can be extremely sexy. Yet in a fashion show, a skimpily clad woman may not look sexy at all.”